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US bishops discouraging Catholics from getting J&J Covid-19 shot. Here’s why
Last week, the US FDA issued emergency use authorisation for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies of Johnson & Johnson.
While top US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has been urging eligible residents to take any authorised coronavirus vaccine available to them, some bishops have weighed in to discourage Catholics from getting Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine. Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued emergency use authorisation (EUA) for the vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals Companies of Johnson & Johnson to prevent coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in individuals aged 18 or older.
Citing the available trial data on the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine, the FDA said that the “known and potential benefits outweigh its risks known and potential risks”. The federal agency further assured that the EUA was given to Janssen’s vaccine after conducting a thorough evaluation of the available information on its safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality.
“After a thorough analysis of the data, the FDA’s scientists and physicians have determined that the vaccine meets the FDA’s expectations for safety and effectiveness appropriate for the authorization of a vaccine for emergency use,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement.
However, the assurance from the FDA on the vaccine’s safety and efficacy isn’t enough for some bishops who are dissuading people from getting Johnson & Johnson vaccine when alternatives are available. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and other dioceses from across the United States have expressed “moral concerns” over the Covid-19 vaccine developed using adenovirus type 26 (Ad26).
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The bishops have raised objection to the use of cell lines originating from the tissue of aborted fetuses to develop the vaccine. In January, the USCCB released an FAQ document that said Pfizer and Moderna used an “abortion-derived cell line” to test the efficacy of their Covid-19 vaccines but didn’t use it in the development or production. On the other hand, Janssen vaccines raise “additional moral concerns” because of the use of such a cell line in development and production, they added
“If one can choose among equally safe and effective Covid-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen. Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s,” US bishop chairmen for Doctrine and for Pro-Life said in a joint statement.
Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson, in a statement to CNN, said that the vaccine uses an inactivated non-infective adenovirus vector and there is no fetal tissue in the vaccine. In multiple reports, scientists and health experts have also noted that the cells used in the testing, development and production of vaccines are thousands of generations removed from the original fetal tissue.
